The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Sola Enikanolaiye has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to the United Kingdom is a significant step in the President’s efforts to reset Nigeria-UK relations, and is focused on delivering real economic and security gains,
The SSA to the President said this in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, following the President’s visit to the UK on Tuesday.
“Beyond the symbolism, this visit is a significant step in President Tinubu’s efforts to reset Nigeria-UK relations. We are focusing on sectors that will bring direct benefits to Nigerians, aligned with the President’s conviction that foreign policy must support national development. This includes economic relations, trade, security, and new areas like the creative economy and technology”, he revealed.
Adding, Enikanolaiye said that President Tinubu’s visit, which was at the request of King Charles, signals endorsements of domestic reforms.
“The visit itself was at the invitation of His Majesty King Charles, demonstrating an endorsement of our domestic reforms despite our challenges.”
According to Sola Enikanolaiye, the visit was carefully planned, producing MOUs and a MINNIMA business roundtable to strengthen Nigeria–UK economic ties.
“This visit was thoroughly prepared through meetings coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Villa. We’ve identified concrete deliverables, including several Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) focused on our economic relationship with the UK”, he said.
Speaking on migration, he revealed that the President plans to engage the diaspora and youth through “managed migration” and domestic reforms to retain talent and boost the economy.
“The President will be meeting with a cross-section of the Nigerian diaspora. We view the diaspora and our youth as vital to national development. We’re looking into ‘managed migration,’ where Nigerians can go to the UK to gain skills and then bring those skills back to help develop our country—a win-win situation. Our ongoing domestic reforms are aimed at stabilizing and growing the economy so that staying in Nigeria becomes a more attractive choice.”
Highlighting benefits of the President’s visit to Nigerians, Enikanolaiye said it includes Lagos port redevelopment, £8.1 billion trade growth, and job-creating British investments.
“There are several direct benefits. We’ve signed an agreement to develop and revamp the Lagos port, and we expect trade between our countries to increase to about £8.1 billion in the coming years. We’re also working to bring back British companies and encourage investment from fintech and manufacturing firms, which will create jobs for Nigerians.”
On how the agreements are going to be implemented, Enikanolaiye said all ministries will submit action plans and report progress, with his office ensuring accountability.
“We are taking a ‘whole-of-government’ approach. The Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, has made it clear that all participating ministries must submit action plans and report regularly on their progress. My office, along with the Special Advisor on Policy Coordination, will hold everyone accountable for delivering on the outcomes of this visit”, he stated.
The SSA to the President also said that while discussions on reparations and returning of artifacts to Nigeria may not be central in the President’s visit, the President is prepared to address them.
“It may not be a major focus, but if it arises, we have a template for addressing it based on our successful negotiations with other Western countries”, he said.
Enikanolaiye further explained that the success of these engagements will hinge on clear communication of Nigeria’s priorities and the alignment of mutual interests.
“Nigerian national interest has been clearly identified in terms of our own national domestic aspirations: economic development, poverty alleviation, defense and security collaboration, collaboration in new areas such as the creative economy, Nollywood, collaboration in science and technology.
“And I can assure you that a series of meetings have thus been lined up with the ministers and their counterparts to identify how exactly the United Kingdom can collaborate with us in all of these areas with a particular focus on shared interest, shared values, and shared historical ties”, he assured.
Sharing details of some of the discussions already held, Enikanolaiye said they focused on trade, investment, and strengthening ties between Nigerian and UK stakeholders.
“I know that Minister Wale Edun and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission held a roundtable, a business roundtable, under the auspices of the Commonwealth. I think that was yesterday. And in that room was, you know, a group of high-net-worth individuals and CEOs of major companies of the UK and their Nigerian counterparts and Nigerian companies with operations in the UK. We had the banks; I think about seven Nigerian banks operating in the UK were in the room. And the idea was to identify what opportunities, what hurdles they face in their businesses in Nigeria, with a view to encouraging more of those who have not yet been to Nigeria to do the same. And the discussion was focused, was targeted, and lasted about two hours. At the end of the day, it was a very fruitful and useful discussion.
“Today, there was another event by NASIMA in which some of the ministers also spoke. You could see a lot of focus on economic and commercial ties. I’m aware that other meetings are also scheduled with the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Creative Economy—of course, the Nigerian Diaspora Commission. All of these meetings are also being identified. Like I said, the idea is to put all of these together in a basket advancing Nigeria’s national interest under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Favour Odima
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